Kerry Wood twirled in front of a mirror, wearing a periwinkle-blue, one-shouldered gown as delicate crystals winked in the soft window light.

“I love it!” Wood exclaimed before hurrying off to find her co-worker, who was hidden among yards of satin and tulle.

Wood, president and CEO of Community Credit Union, was shopping for ball gowns on her lunch break at the Community Little Theatre’s costume shop with Jen Hogan, the bank’s executive vice president. Their special occasion: the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce Masquerade Ball to be held May 2.

“I wanted something fun and different that I wouldn’t normally wear,” Hogan said as she tried on a pale-blue satin dress that looked like something Cinderella would don. “I don’t usually get all dressed up for these things.”

Hogan looked in the mirror approvingly. It had just enough “poofiness” to please. Once a crinoline was added for an extra boost, Hogan was in love.

The pair have attended the chamber’s annual fundraiser for numerous years, but hadn’t really dressed for the ever-changing theme. This year, they decided to go all out and rent costumes.

“I didn’t even realize this was here,” said Wood after choosing the sparkling blue dress.

The costume shop is on the third floor of the Great Falls Performing Arts Center in Auburn. It provides costumes plays at the center and for at least 10 surrounding schools and theater groups.

“We sometimes bus in a whole group of kids and costume them in an hour,” shop chairwoman Suzanne Carbonneau said. She rents out the large inventory of costumes throughout the year and hosts an annual Halloween sale to cull the massive wardrobe housed in five large schoolrooms.

Costume rentals usually run $25 with a $10 deposit required. The shop is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays or by appointment.

After finding their perfect dresses, Hogan and Wood decided to round out their costumes with masks and gloves — and maybe even tiaras.

For those attending the chamber’s Masquerade Ball, the costume shop will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 27; from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 1; and from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 2.